The first hint of dawn was barely staining the eastern sky when Ren slipped silently from the orphanage. The communal room was filled with the soft sounds of sleep, utterly oblivious to the demanding schedule of a newly minted Genin under an elite Jonin. Ren moved with practiced stealth (Stealth Basics Lv. 4), his footsteps making no sound on the worn wooden floors. A quick wash, donning the standard black Academy uniform (now technically his Genin attire until assigned something else), and a check of his meager equipment – kunai sharp, shuriken accounted for, ninja wire coiled neatly. He skipped the orphanage's notoriously thin breakfast porridge; Gamer's Body didn't require traditional sustenance in the same way, drawing energy from rest and ambient sources more efficiently, though performance boosts from quality food were likely still possible according to System logic he hadn't fully explored yet.
The streets of Konoha were quiet at this hour, wrapped in cool morning mist. Shinobi on early patrol flickered across rooftops like ghosts, their presence noted but ignored by Ren. He navigated the familiar paths towards Training Ground 3, his mind alert, running through potential training scenarios Genma might employ. Physical conditioning? Definitely. Teamwork drills? Likely. Individual skill assessment? Almost certainly, especially with the Hokage's directive hanging over him.
He arrived at Training Ground 3 precisely at 05:50. It was a typical Konoha training area – a wide clearing surrounded by dense woods, marked with battered training posts, a small stream cutting through one side, and target ranges partially visible through the trees. The ground was packed earth, scarred by countless spars and jutsu impacts.
To his slight surprise, Akari and Kenji were already there, standing near the entrance, looking anxious but punctual. Akari was double-checking the ties on her kunai holster, while Kenji performed basic stretching exercises with grim determination.
"Morning," Ren greeted them quietly, nodding.
"M-Morning, Ren," Akari replied, looking slightly relieved he wasn't late either.
Kenji just grunted an acknowledgment, not pausing his stretches. The dynamic was still forming, awkward but functional. They stood in silence for a few minutes, the pre-dawn chill seeping into their clothes, anticipation building.
At precisely 0600 hours, as the first rays of sun crested the trees, Genma Shiranui appeared. Not with a flashy entrance, but simply there, leaning against a large tree near the center of the clearing as if he'd been waiting all along. He held no senbon in his mouth this time, his expression utterly neutral.
"Right on time," he noted, his voice calm and even. "Punctuality. The first, and arguably easiest, requirement for shinobi work. Good." He pushed off from the tree. "Forget everything the Academy taught you about fieldcraft. Most of it is theoretical garbage designed to make parents feel better. Real shinobi work is brutal, efficient, and often relies more on stamina and fundamental control than flashy C-Rank jutsu."
He gestured towards the wide clearing. "Today is simple. Assessment and foundation. I need to see precisely what I'm working with – your stamina, your actual chakra control under duress, your baseline combat instincts, and how you function when pushed past comfortable limits." He paced slowly before them. "We start with endurance."
What followed was grueling. Laps around the entire perimeter of Training Ground 3, which was significantly larger than the Academy track. Not a gentle jog, but a demanding pace set by Genma himself, who ran alongside them seemingly without effort. Gamer's Body allowed Ren to keep up, managing his breathing and pacing, translating the burning in his lungs and legs into data streams: [Stamina Depleting: High Rate], [Lactic Acid Buildup: Moderate - Mitigation Active].
Akari, surprisingly lighter on her feet than expected (Minor Wind Affinity likely helping), kept pace initially but soon started flagging, her breathing becoming ragged. Kenji, relying on sheer stubbornness and his decent base endurance (Endurance: Adept), powered through but his form grew sloppy, face grimacing with effort. Ren maintained a steady, efficient rhythm, conserving energy where possible.
Observe: Genma Shiranui. Status: Unaffected by exertion. Passive Chakra Circulation: Optimal. Monitoring Team Vitals/Performance. He wasn't just running; he was analyzing their limits.
After what felt like an eternity but was likely only twenty minutes, Genma called a halt near the stream. Akari collapsed onto her hands and knees, gasping. Kenji leaned heavily against a tree, sweat plastering his hair to his forehead. Ren stood breathing deeply but relatively composed, recovery already kicking in.
[Endurance Training Completed (Trial 1)]
[Minor Proficiency Gain: [Running], [Stamina Management]]
[CON Stat EXP +5]
"Sumire," Genma addressed Akari curtly, though not unkindly. "Cardiovascular endurance needs significant work. Your wind affinity gives you initial lightness, but your stamina base is poor." He turned to Kenji. "Ito. Brute force stamina is decent, but inefficient. You waste energy fighting yourself. Control your breathing, control your stride." Lastly, his eyes lingered on Ren. "Ren. Efficient pace, good recovery. How long could you have maintained that?"
"Estimating based on current energy expenditure and recovery rate, potentially another forty to fifty minutes at that intensity before critical stamina depletion," Ren replied calmly, relaying the System's projected data.
Genma's eyebrow twitched again. Observe: Genma. Thought: That's... highly specific and implies significant self-awareness of limits. Or calculation. Either way, unusual. "We'll test that estimate later," Genma stated noncommittally. "Next. Chakra control refinement."
He led them to the stream. "Standard exercise. Water Walking. But not the Academy's 'stand still for ten seconds' version. You will run across the surface, back and forth, maintaining speed and stability. Ito, Sumire – you haven't mastered this yet. Begin trying. Focus on constant, even output. Ren," Genma looked directly at him now, "you've demonstrated surface adhesion. Show me sustained Water Walking. Sprint across. Now."
This was a direct test following yesterday's revelation. Ren nodded. He activated Surface Walking Lv. 1, the 3 CP per second drain kicking in, and pushed off, sprinting across the stream's surface. It felt different from the wall run – the water yielded slightly, requiring constant micro-adjustments in chakra output to maintain purchase. He stumbled slightly mid-stream but recovered, reaching the other side.
[[Surface Walking (Vertical/Liquid)] Proficiency Increased: +1.5% (Practical Application under Scrutiny)]
[[Basic Chakra Control] Proficiency Increased: +0.5% (Fine control required for liquid surface)]
"Sloppy mid-point correction," Genma called out instantly. "Instability suggests fluctuating output or poor focus. Again. Faster."
Ren repeated the exercise. Faster this time, focusing on smoothing the chakra flow. He made it across cleanly. "Better," Genma allowed, a minimal concession. "Now, maintain it. Continue running back and forth while Ito and Sumire practice standing. Don't fall in."
Ren spent the next half hour sprinting back and forth across the stream, the constant 3 CP/sec drain steadily depleting his pool (CP: 150 -> 114 -> 78...). It was physically demanding only in terms of concentration and chakra cost. Gamer's Body prevented muscle fatigue from the running itself. Akari and Kenji, meanwhile, repeatedly splashed into the cold water, gasping and shivering, struggling to find the right output. Observe showed their frustration mounting, but also grim determination.
[[Surface Walking] Proficiency Increased: +8.7%]
[[Basic Chakra Control] Leveled Up! Lv. 10 -> 11!]
[New Max CP +10!]
[New CP Regen +0.2/min!]
[Water Walking Proficiency: Adept!] (System automatically assigning descriptor based on Lv.1 skill + successful application)
The Level Up was satisfying, replenishing a small portion of his spent CP and increasing his overall pool. When Genma finally called a halt to the water exercise, Ren's CP was below 40, but regenerating. Akari and Kenji were soaked, shivering, and looked thoroughly demoralized, though Kenji had managed a few seconds of unstable standing before falling in again.
Genma showed no sympathy. "Fundamentals. Without perfect control, jutsu are useless. We'll drill this every day until it's as natural as breathing." He then moved them onto basic Taijutsu drills – not sparring, but repetitive practice of strikes, blocks, and evasive maneuvers, critiquing their form relentlessly. He corrected Kenji's sloppy guard, Akari's hesitant blocks, and Ren's efficient but perhaps overly predictable movements (Genma's Critique: Economical but lacks deceptive feints. Too readable.).
[[Academy Taijutsu] Proficiency Increased: +1.2%]
The morning continued in this vein – grueling physical conditioning interspersed with relentless fundamental skill drilling. No flashy jutsu, no complex strategies. Just the absolute basics, honed under the watchful, analytical gaze of an elite Jonin. Genma offered sparse, pointed corrections, never praise. He pushed them hard, identified weaknesses ruthlessly, and seemed particularly focused on testing Ren's limits and control whenever possible.
As noon approached, Genma finally called a halt. The three Genin were exhausted, dirty, and acutely aware of their deficiencies. Ren felt the satisfying ache of productive training, his System logs filled with small proficiency gains across multiple basic skills.
"Report back here. 1400 hours," Genma stated, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We work on stealth, basic teamwork formations, and weapon proficiency this afternoon. Don't eat a heavy lunch; you'll regret it." He turned, his eyes briefly meeting Ren's. Observe: Genma. Intent: Push limits further. Assess Ren's adaptability and learning curve. Secondary Objective progress: Preliminary Baseline Established.
Then, with another near-silent flicker, he was gone.
Ren exchanged weary glances with his teammates. This was only the first morning. Genma Shiranui's training was clearly going to be a brutal, relentless forge. And Ren had the distinct feeling the heat was going to be turned up highest on him.